Intel reportedly places ATE order with AdvantestNews & Analysis 6/28/2002 Post a commentSAN JOSE -- Rumors are running rampant that Intel Corp. has placed a new and large order for automatic test equipment (ATE) from Japan's Advantest Corp., according to several sources and analysts in the industry.
Sources believe that Advantest is building a new line of "structural testers" for Intel. The Santa Clara, Calif.-based chip giant is reportedly using these testers for next-generation chip products, possibly even microprocessors, according to sources.

What happen to the upturn?News & Analysis 6/28/2002 Post a commentSAN JOSE -- What happened to the anticipated recovery in the semiconductor industry?
While it's a bit early to write off the year, there are more signs that the chip industry will remain in the tank in 2002. Just this week alone, the IC and telecommunications markets were rocked by a plethora of bad news from Alcatel, Motorola, WorldCom, and others.

Silicon EngineeringNews & Analysis 6/28/2002 Post a commentIn the 30 years and 1,225 issues since EE Times first appeared, perhaps no human pursuit has changed as profoundly and fundamentally as the practice of electronics engineering. That's the motivating force behind one of the most fundamental changes EE Times has ever undertaken.

Nu Horizons reports break-even quarterNews & Analysis 6/28/2002 Post a commentNu Horizons Electronics Corp., Melville, N.Y., said net sales from continuing operations for the first quarter of fiscal 2003, ended May 31, were $75 million as compared to $89.7 million for the prior year's fiscal period.

eConnections failure will test rivalsNews & Analysis 6/28/2002 Post a commentThe stunning demise of eConnections has sent shock waves through the broader supply chain services market, where more casualties may be imminent.
The same factors forcing eConnections to throw in the towel-the slumping electronics industry and slower-than-expected adoption of its services by high-tech users-are likely to hit other providers, analysts said.

Midtier distributors edge into ChinaNews & Analysis 6/28/2002 Post a commentDistribution's midtier is feeling a tug from OEM and EMS customers to enter China's budding electronics market, but a survey of companies in the sector indicates that smaller channel players will not move to the mainland en masse.
Unlike most of the industry's top-tier distributors, which began forging a sales and engineering presence and building warehouses in China in the early '90s, few midrange distributors have yet committed substantial resources to prime mainland manufacturing locations s

IC makers, OEMs define new multimedia standardNews & Analysis 6/28/2002 Post a commentSUNNYVALE, Calif. -- A consortium of chip makers and OEMs here today announced the first specifications for a new and emerging high-definition multimedia interface standard. The technology is geared for a new class of consumer electronic devices and other products.
The recently-formed consortium, dubbed the High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) Founders, include Hitachi, Matsushita Electric (Panasonic), Philips, Silicon Image, Sony, Thomson, and Toshiba.

Nanophase clarifies slurry deal with RodelNews & Analysis 6/28/2002 Post a commentROMEOVILLE, Ill. -- In an attempt to clarify the apparent confusion in the marketplace, Nanophase Technologies Corp. here today elaborated on its deal with Rodel Inc. in the slurry materials arena.
Under the terms, announced on Wednesday, Rodel will combine its patented chemistries with Nanophase's new nanoparticle technology to develop and market new chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) slurries for the semiconductor industry.

More jobs to go at AlcatelNews & Analysis 6/28/2002 Post a commentFrench telecomms equipment maker Alcatel is set to cut a further 10 000 jobs worldwide. The company also admitted it would not make a profit this year, as it forecast just two months ago.

Via backs HyperTransport for future chip set designsNews & Analysis 6/28/2002 Post a commentTAIPEI, Taiwan -- Taiwan's Via Technologies Inc. here announced plans to support HyperTransport, the next-
Generation, I/O chip-to-chip interconnect technology.
The Taipei-based chip set specialist is also joining the HyperTransport Technology Consortium. Developed by Advanced Micro Devices Inc., HyperTransport is a high-speed interconnect technology that is suitable for a range of applications, such as PCs, game consoles, and mobile devices.

SQI offers backgrinding wafer serviceNews & Analysis 6/28/2002 Post a commentSANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Silicon Quest International (SQI) Inc. here announced that it has begun offering a backgrinding and wafer thinning service for semiconductor device manufacturers.
SQI's high-volume backgrinding service is focused on the production of 3- to 8-inch wafer sizes. The company's service also includes solder and gold bumped wafer thinning, and tight tolerance silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer thinning.

TSMC shrinks CMOS transistorsNews & Analysis 6/28/2002 Post a commentTSMC, the world's largest dedicated semiconductor foundry, has demonstrated a working device which uses CMOS transistors that are about 10 times smaller than those made with today's most advanced production technology.

Partners can access SuperH tools for SoCNews & Analysis 6/28/2002 Post a commentMicroprocessor cores developer SuperH has developed a partnership programme that will give licensees access to the tools and complementary intellectual property (IP) necessary for integrating its cores in to system-on-chip (SoC) products.
The programme includes IP libraries, silicon design, modelling, verification and testing.

IEEE 802.11g to benefit WLANsNews & Analysis 6/28/2002 Post a commentJim Zyren, director of strategic marketing for wireless networking
at Intersil explains the draft standard and explains how its adoption
is an important step for the introduction of dual band radios.

Varian raises forecast amid sudden demandNews & Analysis 6/28/2002 Post a commentGLOUCESTER, Mass. -- Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates Inc. here today raised its forecast for the third quarter of fiscal 2002, ending June 28.
Due to a late-quarter acceleration in customer demand, Varian now expects revenue for the quarter to range from $91-to-$96 million, up from previously anticipated revenue of $75-to-$90 million, and diluted earnings per share to rise from a previously anticipated breakeven level to between $0.06 and $0.09.

In conjunction with unveiling of EE Times’ Silicon 60 list, journalist & Silicon 60 researcher Peter Clarke hosts a conversation on startups in the electronics industry. One of Silicon Valley's great contributions to the world has been the demonstration of how the application of entrepreneurship and venture capital to electronics and semiconductor hardware can create wealth with developments in semiconductors, displays, design automation, MEMS and across the breadth of hardware developments. But in recent years concerns have been raised that traditional venture capital has turned its back on hardware-related startups in favor of software and Internet applications and services. Panelists from incubators join Peter Clarke in debate.